Valve and actuator assembly



April 111-1944 w. F. PETERSON TAL l 2,346,543

VALVE AND ACTUTOR A'S'SEMBLIES 'original Filed Aug. 11," 1937 g um l #fraai/5yd' Patented Apr. 11, 1944 f 2,346,543 VALVE AND ACTTOR AssElvnsLY Walker F. Peterson and Albert U. Walter, Baltimore, Md., assignors to Quiet Flow Devices, Ine., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Original application August 11, 1937, Serial No. 158,622, now Patent No. 2,283,945, dated May 26, 1942. Divided and this application April 24, 1939, Serial No. 269,765

3 Claims.

This invention relates to means for actuating valves or ballcocks; as set out in our pending application Serial No. 158,622, filed August 11, 1937, which issued as Patent No. 2,283,945, on May 26, 1942, and of which this is a division.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means whereby a quick or rapid closing of the valve is obtained over a wide range Vof pressures in the supply pipe.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the noise incident to the closing of the valve.

Still another object of the invention is the reduction of wire drawing at and erosion of the seat during the closing of the valve.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the control linkages are positively centered or made self-centering, so that the actuation occurs in a determinate manner.

With these and other features as objects in view, as will appear in the courseof the following specication and claims, an illustrative form of employing the invention is set out on the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a conventionalized view of a flush tank for a toilet, with a valve of the present nature employed therein.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the upper end of the supply pipe, with parts thereof in section.

In this drawing, a conventional flush tank I of the type used for toilet is illustrated as having a flushing pipe connection 2, commonly called a tail piece, by which it is connected to the closet bowl. The upper end of this flushing pipe is normally closed by the ilush valve 3 which may be operated for flushing by the usual trip lever (not shown). The flush tank-is to be filled with water to a predetermined level,

this water being introduced from a water supply;

connection 4 through the so-called supply pipe 5 which extends upwardly. in the flush tank and has, at its upper end, a ballcock body 6 rigidlyA secured by sweating thereto. In the body 6 is a vertically movable valve-closure member l.

The valve closure member 'I is actuated by the float II, which is connected by a float stem IIa and the linkages described hereinafter, for forcing the valve closure member 'I downwardly and into closed position when the water level in. the tank has risen to the predetermined maximum level.

The water which passes the valve closure member l, in an open position of the latter,` moves partly through the rell tube 8, while the:

bulk thereof is discharged through the so-called drop tube or discharge tube I2 into the tank. The discharge tube I2 is illustrated as being a attened tube of the type described and claimed in our Patent 2,089,223, granted August 10, 1937, and functions as a flow retarding device. However, any other type of ow retarding device may be incorporated in the device downstreamward of the seat.

In the form illustrated in the drawing, the ballcock body 6 is formed integrally with a bifurcated bracket I6 which forms a yoke having a pivot pin I5 extending between the bifurcations. An actuated lever I4 is provided at one end with a slot I3 which slidably engages the pivot pin I5 in establishing a substantially fixed fulcrum for movement of the actuated lever I4. The actuated lever I4 extends above the valve closure member l, and is formed with a downwardly projecting rounded portion 32 which engages the upper surface of the valve closure member. The other end of the actuated lever I4 has a slot 33 for receiving the pin Il of the actuating lever end structure I8.

The actuating lever comprises the end structure I8 which usually has internal threads I8a for receivingthe threaded end of the float stem IIa, or is otherwise secured thereto.

In this illustrated form, also, the ballcock body 6 has a further bracket 24 which is shown as diametrically opposite the bifurcated bracket I6, and as having an angularly directed upper end which is received between bifurcations of the end structure I 8 of the actuating lever, and is tted thereto so that the actuating lever is free to move, but is limited in its rocking about a vertical axis. The upper broadened end of the bracket 24 is provided with a plurality of apertures 22, 23; while the bifurcations in the end structure I8 have a similar number of apertures I9, 20, these apertures being spaced at differing distances from the pin I'I. A pivot pin 2I may be passed through selected apertures, that is,

" through apertures I9,22 or 20, 23. It is preferred to form the pivot pin with threads on one end, and to thread the openings I9, 22 in one of the bifurcations, as a means of securing the parts in the desired relative positions.

The bracket 24 has a projection 3l which operates as a stop for limiting the movement of the end structure I8 during its downward rocking movement as the iloat II falls with the water level as the tank I is discharging into the tail piece 2, and as the valve closure member 35 is opening or moving away from the valve seat.

It will be noted that the apertures 22, 23 are not arranged with their axes in a horizontal plane, but with the outer aperture 23 below the aperture 22, so to speak: this arrangement Aallows the actuating lever IIa, I8 a movement through substantially the same angle regardless of whether the pivot 2l is engaged in the openings I9, 22 or 26, 23, and is eiective in association ywith `the stop 31, to prevent disengagement of the levers in the maximum positions of loperation thereof, while assuring limited sizes of the lparts and freedom of operation of the pin I'I in the slot 33 so that the levers operate smoothly even in the extreme positions of movement.

The actuated lever I4 is in effect self-center ing. The direction of the walls of the slot I3 is upward, and the angle A between the direction of the slot I3 and the line joining the axes of the pivots I5, I 'I is illustrated as being about 135, and may be at any angle substantially greater than 45, and substantially less than 180. Since the water pressure operating upon the valve closure member 1 causes a tendency toward upward movement thereof, this force is transmitted to the actuated lever I4, land the aforesaid positioning of the slot I3 causes the lever to assume and maintain a position relative to its pivot I5, by which a substantially constant fulcrum distance is preserved between the projection 32 and the slot 33. Further, the actuated lever I4 is thus prevented from sliding over against the pivot pin I'I, when it is in either of the extreme positions of the actuating lever I8, and'therewith becoming jammed or blocked by a toggle-joint eliect as the lever I8 rocks to a midway position.

Disassembly is easily accomplished by unscrewing the pivot pin 2l, and tilting the end structure I8 so that the pin I1 may be slid out of the slot in the actuated lever I4. This actuated lever I4 is then rocked in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) and similarly separated from the pin I5. The assembly of the closure member' 1 may now be withdrawn. It is now possible to inspect and replace the seat washer 28, if necessary. The parts can be reassembled by reverse operations.

The distance between the pins I and I'I, vwhen the axes of pivots I5, I'I and 2l are in a plane, is suiiiciently greater than the distance between the slots I3 and 33 to permit free movement; and the lengths of the slots are made great enough to prevent disengagement from the pins at the extreme positions of normal movements of the parts.

As the water level rises, the float II is raised with it, and operates through the lever system to produce a downward movement of the valve closure member 'L Upward movement of the iioat I I, as the water rises in the tank, is resisted by the pressure in the chamber 34 (due to the flow-retarding device downstreamward) acting on the valve member 'I. Therefore, with the proper leverage adjustment, a substantial but not excessive portion of the float I I is submerged before any movement occurs and remains so submerged until the valve member 'I starts to reduce the flow through the seat and consequently the pressure in the chamber 34. When this occurs, the pressure against the valve member 'I is reduced and there is sufiicient buoyancy in the iioat II to rise almost instantly for a suflicient distance to effect nal closure of the valve member on the seat without a further rise of the level of the water in the tank.

If the leverage is sufficiently great to effect closure at the higher water pressures, it is so great that sufficient submergence of the float II in the initial stages and later utilization of this extra submergence in a quick nal closure, is not obtained at lower pressures. As pressures of 20 to pounds per sq. in. are ordinarily encountered and as the adjustment in leverage by changing the length of the iioat arm IIa is limited because of the size of the tank and the other fixtures therein, it is necessary to provide leverage adjustment in the linkage of the ballcock in order to obtain this quick or snap shut-01T over this wide range of pressures. Such quick or snap shut-oli is desirable not only in eliminating the noise, but also the wire drawing at and erosion of the seat which occurs during the final closing period of the valve and which, in the ordinary valve, is of long duration. v

It will be noted that the quick or snap shutoff cannot be obtained in a ballcock unless a flowretarding device, downstreamward of the seat, is incorporated therein. A distinction between the present invention and the prior use of adjustable linkage is the incorporation of a ow retarding device downstreamward of the seat of the ballcock. Where an adjustable linkage is used without the flow retarding device as above mentioned, its sole purpose is to secure suiiicient force against the valve closure member to close the same on its seat at various pressures. In such cases, if the leverage is made sufficiently great to effect a satisfactory closure at the higher pressures of water supply, it functions equally well at the lower pressure. This is not the case, however, when a flow retarding device is incorporated in the structure downstreamward of the seat.

It will further be noted that, by moving the pivot pin 2l from the innermost apertures I9, 22 to the outer apertures 20, 23 the leverage of the float I I upon the actuated lever I4 is materially reduced. We have found that when this reduction is about 33 percent, satisfactory operation can be obtained over the above range of pressures.

'It is further to be noted that the greater the difference in the cross-sectional area through the seat 28 and through the valve closure member 1, the more effective the quick or snap shut-off.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited solely to the illustrated form shown, but that it may be employed in many ways within the scope of the appended claims,

We claim:

1. A self-centering ballcock assembly having a valve body provided with a valve seat, said valve body having a bore above said seat, a valve closure member in said bore movable downwardly for closing and upwardly for opening water passage at said seat and extending to the exterior of the valve body, bracket elements on the valve body located at opposite sides of the closure member, said bracket elements each having fixed pivot members thereon, an actuated lever having at one end an upwardly directed slot engaged with one said xed pivot member and having its intermediate portion engageable with the valve closure member for forcing the same downwardly and having at its other end an open-ended slot directed away from said one fixed pivot, an actuating lever having a movable pivot member at one end for direct engagement in said openended slot at a point between said bracket elements and eiective for rocking said actuated lever, said upwardly directed slot being directed at an angle between 45 degrees and 135 degrees with respect to the line from the axis of one said pivot to the axis of the other when the parts are in operative engagement, and means providing a fixed .fulcrum for said actuating lever on the pivot member of said second bracket element, the fixed pivot and the fulcrum being located so that said movable pivot moves relatively along said open-ended slot during the rocking movements of the levers and thereby tends to move said actuated lever lengthwise of itself, the pressure of Water upon said closure member being effective to cause interaction of said upwardly directed slot and said xed pvot for causing said actuated lever to be moved to and maintained in a predetermined relation to saidvalve closure member and to said actuating lever.

2. A ballcock assembly having a valve body provided with a bore and a valve seat, a valve closure member in said bore movable downwardly for closing and upwardly for opening water passage at said seat, an actuated lever having a fixed pivot connection relative to the valve body and effective for pressing said valve closure member downwardly and itself receiving an upward force due to back pressure during full flow, an actuating lever having a movable pivot connection to said actuated lever and having a float arm, said actuated lever having open-ended slots therein as a part of said xed and movable pivot connections, a bracket element on said valve body having a plurality of apertures therein located at different distances from the fixed pivot connection, said actuating lever having a plurality of apertures located at diierent distances from said movable pivot connection, and a. shiftable pivot member for providing an adjustable fulcrurn for said actuating lever relative to the valve body whereby to determine the lever ratio of the movement of said levers in accordance with the water supply pressure, said bracket element having a stop portion for engagement with said actuating lever for restricting the opening movement thereof, the apertures in said bracket element being so located and arranged relative to corresponding apertures in the actuating lever and to said stop portion that the float arm is restricted at substantially the same position for all selections of said lever ratio whereby to prevent separation of parts at said pivot connections.

3. A ballcock assembly having a valve body provided with a bore and a valve seat, a valve closure member in said bore movable downwardly for closing and upwardly for opening water passage at said seat, an actuated lever having a fixed pivo-t connection relative to the valve body and eiiective forpressing said valve closure member downwardly and itself receiving an upward force due to back pressure during full flow, an actuating lever having a movable pivot connection to said actuated lever and having a oat arm, said actuated lever having open-ended slots therein as a part of said fixed and movable pivot connections, a bracket element on said valve body having a plurality of apertures therein lo- -cated at diiferent distances from the fixed pivot connection, said actuating lever having a plurality of apertures located at diierent distances from said movable pivot connection, and a shiftable pivot member for providing an adjustable fulcrum for said actuating lever relative to the valve body whereby to determine the lever ratio of the movement of said levers in accordance with the water supply pressure, stop means carried by the valve body for restricting the opening movement of the actuating lever, the apertures in said bracket element being so located and arranged relative to corresponding apertures in the actuating lever that the oat arm is restricted at substantially the same position for all selections of said lever ratio whereby to prevent separation of parts at said pivot connections.

WALKER F. PETERSGN. ALBERT U. WALTER. 

